Perriello: Stimulus serves schools well

U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello escaped the harried atmosphere in Washington on Friday and instead met with local school officials to discuss the House’s recently passed economic stimulus bill, which could spell big bucks for local schools.

Perriello, D-Ivy, arrived at Albemarle County’s Greer Elementary School to speak with division administration and School Board members about the billions of dollars in education grants school divisions could receive under the $819 billion stimulus package. An analysis done by the Congressional Research Service shows that Albemarle and Charlottesville could receive $5.61 million and $4.85 million, respectively, over two years in Title I, construction and special-education grants.

“We get so little federal money,” said Brian Wheeler, chairman of the Albemarle County School Board.

Sitting in the library at Greer — which has not achieved Adequate Yearly Progress, the standard enforced by the No Child Left Behind Act, for three consecutive years — Perriello said the education money was centered on Title I and construction grants because those are the areas where the federal government has increasingly piled mandates onto local school divisions. Charlottesville has five Title I schools — where the amount of federal funds received is based on the number of low-income children in a school, generally those eligible for free or reduced-fee lunch — and Albemarle has eight with the same designation.

“That is the easiest way for us to get resources to you,” Perriello said. He added, “One of the goals with this was to not create new mandates or bureaucracies.”

Perriello said he hoped that as financial burdens for existing governmental programs are relieved, local school boards could have more freedom with their budgets and keep teachers in the classrooms. Education could also see further cuts because of a proposal by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to permanently slash education spending by $400 million in an effort to close the expected $2.9 billion state revenue shortfall over the next two years.

“Anything you can do to help with mandates can free up other money,” board member Diantha McKeel said.

While the local school divisions said they would gladly welcome any infusion of funds, some administrators say they are hesitant to craft any plans until they know the money is locked in.

“People are cautious,” Albemarle schools spokeswoman Maury Brown said.

Charlottesville Superintendent Rosa S. Atkins said in an interview that as division officials put final touches on the fiscal 2010 budget, they are keeping in mind the areas that could possibly use additional funding.

“There are many projects that we are looking at and putting on hold,” Atkins said. “We could certainly use some of the funds to accelerate those projects.”

Those areas, however, have yet to be finalized, Atkins said, adding that the division would need more details on funding allocations before making permanent decisions. While Title I programs could be bolstered, Atkins said, “maximum flexibility will allow us to put the dollars where most needed.”

Perriello said the package for schools is focused on providing relief quickly.

“I think this one is heavy on the immediate stimulus,” he said. “Right now people are just trying to get through the next six months.”

Though the economic recovery package is the main focus in the nation’s capital right now, Perriello also said that there will be upcoming debate on No Child Left Behind, which is up for reauthorization this year. Brown said that no one in the division would argue with the spirit of the law — designed to close the gap in achievement among different demographics of the student body — but there is an increasing problem dealing with the many mandates the act imposes on local school divisions.

“I think there is an emerging consensus on serious amendments,” Perriello said.